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JAMBI, bhayaksa.net—- Strong indications of technical deviations and unlawful acts (onrechtmatige daad) have heavily surrounded the execution of the supporting infrastructure project within the site plan of the new Jambi City Goods and Services Procurement Unit (UKPBJ) Office in the Kota Baru area. Even though the structural integrity of the main building stands firm without issue, the construction of the retaining wall along the main drainage trench in the frontyard suffered a total structural failure. The concrete barrier wall collapsed directly into the channel due to its inability to withstand active earth pressure, triggering a massive landslide of backfill material that now leaves a gaping trench resembling a death trap.
According to official public procurement records on the Jambi City UKPBJ Building Construction – LPSE Data, the total budget allocation for the integrated construction package of the new building and its supporting utilities was funded by the Jambi City Regional Budget (APBD) for Fiscal Year 2025, with a total value of IDR 2,694,800,608.00 (approx. $170,000 USD) under bidding code 10034008000 managed by the Public Works and Spatial Planning Department. The collapse of the peripheral trench infrastructure within this integrated contract has immediately sparked intense public scrutiny.
The failure of the concrete retaining wall has directly impacted the mechanical stability of the facility’s outdoor landscape. The sliding failure of the soil mass along the drainage boundary resulted in delamination and heavy damage to the surrounding interlocking paving block surface. This structural damage to the outdoor utilities poses a high-risk safety hazard as it threatens the functional suitability of the sole transportation corridor leading into the Jambi City UKPBJ Office.
Breach of Performance: Violation of Technical Regulations on Construction Services
The mechanical failure of the state-funded drainage structure has drawn fierce backlash, as it is highly suspected to have flagrantly violated strict Ministry of Public Works regulatory parameters:
- Law No. 2 of 2017 on Construction Services (Articles 59 & 60): Governs absolute liability regarding Building Failures. The contractor and the supervising consultant face administrative sanctions, financial liabilities, and potential criminal charges if they are allegedly proven negligent in execution, causing a structural failure before the facility reaches its designated design life.
- Government Regulation (PP) No. 16 of 2021 on Building Specifications: Demands strict compliance with building and environmental structural reliability standards, requiring all peripheral retaining structures to safeguard safety, public health, and architectural comfort against dead loads and environmental hydraulic pressures.
- Ministry of Public Works Regulation (Permen PUPR) No. 1 of 2022: Legally binds the execution to the Contract Documents, Unit Price Analysis (AHSP), and material specifications. The concrete pouring methods and soil compaction parameters must be strictly followed without any tolerance for down-specving to boost private profit margins.
Indications of Technical Construction Malpractice Behind the Damage
Observing the linear shear failure pattern of the collapsed concrete retaining wall, civil engineering and landscape architecture experts suspect severe construction malpractice or manipulation in the contractor’s work methods:
- Suspected Structural Under-Specification: The collapse of the retaining structure without any remaining anchorage ties highly suggests that the concrete thickness, cement mixing ratio, and internal reinforcement bar ratio were deliberately reduced from the original Detailed Engineering Design (DED) documents. The concrete strength class is suspected to be far below standard outdoor structural qualifications.
- Suspected Design Flaw Involving Omitted Weep Holes: The contractor is highly suspected to have omitted vital weep holes and geotextile filter layers along the retaining wall. Consequently, rainwater became trapped within the backfilled soil pores, causing severe waterlogging that built up massive hydrostatic pressure until the wall blew out from behind.
- Suspected Substandard Soil Compaction: The backfilling of red soil around the exterior yard is believed to have been done poorly without consecutive 8-to-12-inch layer compaction using vibratory compactors. The loose soil acted like a sponge by absorbing runoff water, inducing minor soil liquefaction, and sliding downward the moment the concrete wall deformed.
- Suspected Collusion in Quality Assurance: The fact that a drainage project with such high safety risks passed inspection points toward a complete failure of technical oversight by both the Supervising Consultant and the Department’s Commitment-Making Official (PPK). It implies a passive tolerance during the final survey and the provisional hand-over (PHO) process through the Jambi City LPSE Procurement Portal.
Currently, only basic barricade tape protects the landslide site, which completely fails to meet standard Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) codes against potential secondary cave-ins. Law enforcement bodies, the Attorney General’s local office, and the Government Internal Supervisory Apparatus (APIP) Inspectorate of Jambi City are strongly urged to launch an immediate investigative audit, execute destructive field testing (core drilling concrete samples), and prosecute any parties allegedly responsible for the loss of regional public funds and the endangerment of public safety.
Reporter: Harvery
Editor: bhayaksa.net Team
